Coal-mining machine



(No Model.)

IG. D. WHITGOMB.

GOAL MINING MAGHINEY Patented Nov.` 7, 1882.Av

Wiizess 6,5

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

f GEORGE D. VVHITCOMB, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

COAL-MINING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming To all whom it may concern Be it known that I,GEORGE D. WHITcoMB, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ghicago,in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented anew anduseful Improvement in Coal-Mining Machines, which is fully described inthe following specication, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure l represents a vertical central sectionalview'of my improved coal-mining machine; Fig. 2, a plan view of one ofthe cushions; Fig. 3, a central sectional view taken at the line a: x,Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a plan view of the other form of cushion; Fig. 5, acentral sectional view taken at the line y y, Fig. 4; and Fig. 6, aperspectiveview ofmy double-inclined platform. i

The object of my invention is to perfect the details of my coal-miningmachine patented September 28, 1880, No. 232,792, and June 20, 1882, No.259,956; and it consists in the combination of devices, whereby theexhaust-ports are between the inlet-ports and ends of the cylinder forthe purpose of having the action of the valve aided by the reactiveshock ofthe pick against the coal. This arrangement of valves and portsrelative to the cylinder causes the rebound of the pick from making itsblow to aid in moving the valve and opening the eX- haust-port, therebysaving power and acceleratin g the action.

My invention further consistsin theconstructionofthecnshions,hereinafterfully described; and it also consists in thecombination of an inclined platform and the mining-machine for thepurpose of utilizing the weight of the machine to hold it to its work,all as hereinafter fully described.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents one of the wheels upon whichthe machine is supported 5 B, the cylinder. O C are thecylinder-heads,provided with rims or flanges D, which pass over the ends of thecylinder, as shown. E is aI valve. FIfareinlet-ports. G Gareexhaust-ports. Histhepiston-bead,and I is the piston-rod, made of onepiece to obviate the difficulty-experienced by joining them together.The round portion ofthe piston-rod I is made of the same diameter as thelargest (No model.)

or diagonal diameter of the square portion J of the rod.

K are cushions inserted in thc cylinder over the square portion J ofthepistonfrod, and fit closely the portion I ofthe piston-rod, so as toserve as a packing to the front end of the cylinder, as well as acushion for the piston-head to strike against in case the pick does nothit the coal.

L is a cushion in the rear end of the cylinder for the piston-head tostrike against when it makes its back-stroke. These are leathercushions. The cushion K has a double crimp, one crimp fitting againstthe interior of the cylinder and the other against the piston-rod, whichpasses through it, thus forming a packing between the piston-rod and thecylinder.

It is difficult to form a double crimp so near together from a singlepieceof leather. fore make the outside crimp, a, ot' one piece and theinner crimp, b, of another piece, and overlap their edges, as clearlyshown in Fig. 3.

o is a ring placed between the crimps ct and b,and in order to keep thecrimp tt in place I rivet or sew through the pieces, as indicated byline el. This fastens the parts of the cushion together, and also keepsthe partsin form.

In the cushion L the crimp e is formed in one piece, made in form ofadisk, with its edges turned up to form a crimp. fis a piece set intothe disk, and g is a back plate, which serves to keep the crimp e frombending down, and the parts are fastened together by the rivet or sewingh. VAs the piston-rod does not pass through this cushion, the crimp ismade to fit against the cylinder only.

TheeXhanst-ports G are between the inletports F and the ends of thecylinder, and when the piston moves forward to strike the blow with thepick the recoil on the machine assists to move the valve E forward toopen the rear exhausbport and the front inlet-port. I thereby utilizethe recoil force to assist in moving the valve E. By this combinationof' inlet and outlet ports with the valves I am able to utilize therecoil from the force of the blow to move the valve to open and closethe ports. The greatest recoil is occasioned by the forward stroke whenthe pick strikes the coal, and from the described arrangement of portsit results I there-v IOO that the recoil of the cylinder, which isnecessarily equivalent to a forward pull on the'sliding valve E,occursjust as the cam'which operates that valve gives it its forwardpush, so that the recoil, (zo-operating to produce the requisitemovement of the valve, diminishes by so much the amount ot' force whichmust be applied to the cam, whereas in the ordinary arrangement of theports the recoil would operate to pull the valve forward relatively tothe cylinder, ]'nst as the cam must operate to pull it backward, andthus increase the resistance which the latter must overcome.

M is an inclined portable platform, upon which the mining-machine isplaced when in operation. It is made to slope toward the work of themachine, so that the weight ofthe machine holdsit to its work andassists to overcome the recoil from the blow of the pick. The incline ofthe platform also enables the operator to give the machine a downwardpitch, so that the Weight of the piston and piston-rod assists in givingforce to the blow of the pick.

M and mining-machine for the purpose of holdloose sections, and in suchmanner that the machine is moved laterally from one platform to anotheras it is moved from place toplace in its work.

The parts of my machine not particularly described herein are the sameas are described and claimed in my patents above'referrcd to.

Having thus fully described the construction and operation ot' myinvention, what l claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,1sy 1. The combination of the cylinder VB, sliding valve E, inlet-portsF, and exhaust-ports G, arranged between the inlet-ports and the headsofthe cylinder, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The cushion-packing K, having a double crimp made from two pieces,shaped and arranged substantially as specified and shown.

3. The combination ot' the inclined platform ing the machine to itswork, substantially as 5 i specified and shown.

GEO. D. VVHITCOMB.

Witnesses:

JN0. C. MACGREGOR, H. D. HoLLIsTER.

